Iron picket-fence



' (No Model.) j

J.. WOODHILL.

IRON PIGKET FENCE.

No. 262,879. Patented Aug. 15. .1882.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WOODHILL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

|RON PlCKET-FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 262,879, dated August 15, 1882.

Application filed May 24, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WOODHILL, of Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Iron Picket-Fences; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it,

reference being bad to the aceompan yin g drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in iron picket-fences; and it consists in the combination of the rails, having flanges formed on their under sides, with suitably-shaped pickets which have a notch or notches in their sides, and into which one of the flanges is made to catch, so as to lock the picket in place, all of which will be more fully described hereinafter.

The objectof my invention is to furnish a picket-fence from which the dust and dirt will be readily cleaned by the rain and wind, and in which the pickets are securely fastened in place'without the useof pins, wedges, or other such appliances.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fence embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same.

A represents the pickets, which may be made square, round, or any other suitable shape, and which maybe alternately long and short, or they may be all of the samelength, as preferred. The rails 13 are beveled away upon each side from the center, so that any dirt or dust settling upon their tops will be readily washed away by the rain or blown away by the wind, and thus the fence will always be kept looking fresh and clean. Where the tops of the rails are made flat, as is generally the case, they collect a large amount of dirt, which keeps the fence always looking dirty,

.even though it is painted several times a year.

Formed upon the under side of these rails, which will be made preferably of wrought-iron, are a number of flanges, G, which may beeither arranged in the relation to each other as here shown or any other that may be preferred.

Where four flanges are used, as here shown, there will be one formed along each side and one upon each edge of the holes through which the picket is passed. Each one of the pickets, just below the rails, has a suitable notch formed in opposite sides, into which the lower edges of the central flanges are made to catch. The picket is first adjusted in place, and then a suitable tool is applied to the outer side of the central flanges, and by a few blows of a hammer the lower edge of the flange is bent inward, so as to catch in the notch, and thus lock the picket rigidly in place. This manner of fastening the picket is very cheap and simple, and dispenses with all wedges, keys, and other such appliances, which not only add to the cost of the fence, but which are likely to be misplaced and lost, or to drop out of position after the fence has been set up.

I am aware that there is nothing new in a picket having a notch or notches in its sides as a means of fastening the picket to the rails. I am also aware that a notch has been formed in the side of the picket, and that the side of having flanges 0, formed upon its under side,

with the pickets having notches out in opposite sides, the flanges being bent inward by means of suitable tools, so as to catch in the notches, and thus lock the pickets and rails together, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN WOODHILL.

Witnesses:

P. L. BAUM, J OHN T. McGmNnss. 

